


The Raven and the Dove

by yoshmiester



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, but doesn't actually meet him til chapter three!, here's where she dreams of prince charming, swain is trust issue central, vaguely long burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-07-12 03:08:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15986333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yoshmiester/pseuds/yoshmiester
Summary: Can a love fostered on a battlefield manage to survive, when those afflicted by it must confront each other in real life?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> This fic incorporates some of the old lore about the Summoner's Rift, like how it's an actual place and exists, y'know.

On any of Runeterra's major nations, legends about the stars, the celestials, and how destiny came to be were common fare. Some would say that grand calculations took place among the stars, that people scaled Targon in order to defy fate, and even that the stars would pluck people from where they stood in order to act their will upon the lands. No two cultures could ever be found to agree on such folktales, but, whispers recorded throughout the ages all point to one place as where the stars choose their champions. Although no two descriptions were exactly alike, details began to match, when looked at through a decisive lens.

The Summoner's Rift.

The Rift was a warrior's dream. A mountainous landscape, littered with questing beasts eternally hunting for challengers, has been the scene of many cataclysmic battles for interstellar superiority. This idyllic realm lay as an eternal battleground, seeing countless strifes, yet always returning. It was as though it fed from the energy that scorched the earth it lay on, recreating itself like a phoenix's rebirth.

Every night, a new cycle would begin. A new Rift to be formed, and battle to be had. As a Runeterran, be you Ionian, Noxian, or Yordle - your deeds would be judged by the hands of the Aspects. You would be plucked from your dreamless slumber, and set about the Rift to fight the petty battles of the higher powers. Were you favorable to their needs, a hand may choose you as their Champion, and it was then that you had no other choice but to prove your worth.  
Should you win or lose was often inconsequential to the Champions. Only few could recall their times on the Summoner's Rift, and the battles that took place there. Their minds were restored back to their bodies by the time morning arrived.

And by then, it could only be regarded as a hazy dream.


	2. I

_Day 21 of Expedition: Valoran._

Lux tapped her pencil on the empty journal page, wearily regarding the title. After venturing out from the Greenfang Mountains, and following the river, Lux was finding her personal study to be... rather lackluster. After setting off from the Demacian border, Lux had seen many a wondrous thing along the river's edge: wyvern dens, fae creatures, even enormous crag beasts. But, as she voyaged further outland, toward the east, even the vegetation had receded. The land was slowly becoming devoid of life, and what was here was struggling for survival. Even along the shoreline that she had followed here, she found less and less using its bounty to survive.

It was rather saddening, she thought, raising her eyes to scan the water before her. It sparkled in the evening sun, mirroring the various hues of the darkening sky. Maybe it isn't _all_ bad, Lux thought, resting her chin on her hand. She got lost in it, for a moment, before clapping her journal shut and turning back to her campsite. It was a bit ramshackle, sure, but it had kept out the wind and rain. If she had everything decorated handsomely, Lux would look ever the more appetizing to thieves and cut-purses wandering the lands for travelers to make a few coin from.

Thankfully, she hadn't encountered anything of the sort while she explored, and she continued to count her lucky stars that the river continued to guide her path.   
As she began setting up for the evening, and working on kindling a small fire, Lux was alerted to the sound of fluttering wings. At first, it didn't bother her. Birds and other such avian creatures were commonplace everywhere, especially out here. Scavengers, like vultures, could find easy food sources in animals that couldn't survive under the harsh conditions and died in the open. It was probably just making sure that she was actually alive before swooping down to peck at her insides. Her suspicions was thrown to the wayside when she turned back towards her tent, and locked eyes with a bird.

A raven. Lux stared at it, for a moment. 

_"Shoo!"_ She ordered, waving an arm towards it dismissively. The bird sat still, staring at her.  
After a moment's contemplation, she steps toward it again, waving her arms at it in the hopes it would scare off. 

"Get out of here! There's no food for you!" The raven hopped back a few paces along the top of her tent, making a warbling caw at her. _Stubborn thing,_ Lux thought, huffing out a breath.  
She finally turned away from it, going back to nursing her growing fire pit. As the flames rose, she would occasionally glance back it as it studied her. A nagging feeling had arisen about its presence, but, she couldn't exactly identify where it came from. She came to the conclusion that it was likely just her anxiety getting the best of her, and she decided to shrug it off as she settled in for the night.

\--

Her sleep was restless, that evening. Every other night, it seemed, she would be plagued by fantasies of battle. Unlike many Demacians who were proud to hunt, fight, and kill, Lux had always considered herself something of a softer breed. A lady, her mother used to refer to her. Though, Lux had never much liked that title, either. Regardless, it was another night of all the same, yet slightly different: a large, grass-coated battlefield, littered with forest. Always, there were others there with her, sometimes those she would recognize. People like Poppy, Janna, Sona - her friends. They were called 'Champions' quite fondly, but, Lux never investigated much to see if it had any meaning. _They were just dreams,_ she told herself, _nothing to get so flustered about._

That was, until the new arrival appeared. It was only recently that he had made his appearances, and, she couldn't quite identify him whenever she awoke. It frustrated Lux, having this figure appear ominously in her dreams, but never getting quite a clear view of him when she awoke. It always frustrated her to have something like that just out of her reach, like a puzzle with a missing piece.  
And, tonight was no different. This time, though, everything felt closer. As though she could finally pass the link between her dreams and her conscious mind. But just as her fingertip seemed to ripple the surface, reaching out to him, a loud raven's caw ripped her from her sleep. It was long since morning by then, the sun beginning to beat up against the sides of her tent and warm the inside. Lux was forced to blink her eyes open, sitting up in a haze. The bird was making some kind of racket outside, forcing her out to investigate. Tucking her hair behind her ears, the dreary-eyed mage ventured outside, finding the raven appearing to be gone.

As Lux peered around for it, and began to tie her hair back, it suddenly swept down and snatched the ribbon from between her fingers. She shrieked, pulling her hands away and allowing it to take off with her hairband. All she could do was stare, mouth agape, as it vanished over the horizon. She knew that they were known for stealing things, in some cities like Piltover, but her hairband? What significance could it possibly hold?

Little did Lux know, that someone was awaiting that band, reaching out to take it from the raven as it landed on their balcony.

Awash with confusion, Lux simply was forced to continue her journey without it. After she reported the strange occurrence with the raven in her journal, she began packing her things. Lux was due for another whole day of hiking across the dry plains, so she would need to get an early start if she desired to make any leeway by next nightfall.

\--

By the time the sun was high, Lux had made only some progress along the riverbend. Making this trek without the aid of a horse was beginning to wear heavily on her. Where she had been enthusiastic about the trek before, her confidence was waning in the face of these new conditions. There were few trees to shade herself, and the only water that she could gather was from the river itself, which needed to be boiled before she deemed it safe to drink. A flock of ravens flew overhead, Lux gazing up at them as they went on ahead of her. As her eyes follow the birds, something dark appears over the horizon. A large structure, made of dark stone.

A Noxtoraa, undoubtedly.   
Lux swallowed hard, but followed the path towards the gate at a bit of a quicker pace. Noxtoraa meant civilization! Albeit, the civilization meant that she had ventured near to Noxian territory, it was better than sleeping in tents. If she could find a settlement, she could rest her tired form somewhere slightly more comfortable. The archway appeared to be the opening to a road, lined on either side with knee-high stone fences. It was a great relief to see stone, the solidity of it below her feet giving her a rush of motivation. She darted along the path for a time, the sun sinking in the sky by the time she reached the settlement. It appeared to be a wayport for Noxian sailors, who were crossing Valoran by way of the river.

It allowed her to heave a sigh, even as the guards eyed her warily as she entered. Lux swore that she heard them murmuring about her, as she passed. They were of course wary of a traveler such as her, but it wasn't exactly unheard of for people to cross Valoran on foot. People such as Ryze took to the task every day, as far as she was aware. Lux pulled her arms closer to her as she wandered through the settlement's winding streets, attempting to find somewhere to rest. Ravens, ever perched along the roofs of the buildings, gazed down on her endlessly. They appeared to be scrutinizing her, watching how she interacted with the sailors and other townsfolk with great interest. Of course, Lux was not openly hostile towards any Noxians - it wasn't in her nature to be hostile towards anyone. If anything, she was more scared of them, and their opinion of Demacians. She was hoping that she could appeal towards their better judgment with her good nature.

And, for the moment, it appeared to have worked. Sure, they were rather hardy from living out here - but they were more than willing to exchange with her if she offered a bit of gold to barter. Gold was an element that everyone respected, and there was little disputing that. By nightfall, Lux had a place to sleep, and a fuller stomach. Though, now that she was here, the question arose: what was she going to _do?_ Obviously, she was in danger from merely stepping beyond the border, but she was only due to go one way or another by ship. Thankfully, a few were in port, but she knew not their destination. One way, the river flowed toward Noxus Prime, and the other, towards roads she had already walked.

As she deliberated, a tapping came upon her window. Opening the shutters, a raven stood, with a sealed envelope dropped in front of it.

"You could have brought back my ribbon," Lux plucked the envelope from the 'sil, "but, thank you." She reached her free hand out and gently scratched the bird's chest, to which it made some content noise before flying away. She looked back down towards the letter, now noticing it was sealed with wax. It had small ripples where the raven's beak had held it, but, otherwise it was pristine. She held the envelope closer to her, using an orb of light from her palm to closer observe the seal. A deep crimson, bearing the Trifarian Crest. _Oh, god,_ came her first thought, _they already know I'm here._ How could they, though? She had came here on foot, by herself.

Finally deeming her panicked thoughts somewhat ridiculous, she peeled the seal off, opening and unfolding the letter within.

_Lady Crownguard,_   
_The Grand General requests your audience in Noxus._   
_You are to take the next ship leaving your current location, and begin to proceed towards the capital city by morning._

Her first instinct, upon finishing scanning over the words, was to fling the letter aside and disregard it. The Grand General? Also-known-as, the current _emperor?_ She would be absolutely hard-pressed to believe that he cared so dearly to request her audience. Someone must have known she was seeking refuge and sought to prank her. Quite the distasteful display, but, it wouldn't be beyond some of Valoran's more sinister. Though, at the same time, it was sealed and stamped. And delivered by a raven, no less - one of the symbols of Noxus, so it seemed. Lux knew that someone _would_ likely go to the trouble to get things perfect in an attempt to scare her, but... The pieces didn't fit together well enough for it to simply be fear-mongering.  
However, even if it turned out to be untrue, Lux had no further plans for herself beyond investigating this bizarre request.

So, it was decided - Lux would set set sail for Noxus. Whether she liked it or not.


	3. II

The next evening passed without incident. Lux endured something of a restless sleep in all of her worries, but that was the most of it.

By the next morning, Lux had gathered herself and set out for the docks. Sailors were moving crates of grain, likely from the western territories, onto the ship. Some of the crates, however, snarled at Lux as she passed. They jerked forward, giving Lux the illusion of some hungry, unfed beast, that perhaps the Noxians captured to spar against. No doubt it would be enraged due to hunger, and, use its full ability trying to kill them. Exactly as they desired.

She padded up toward a set of guards, watching to make sure that the sailors who decided to pocket anything for their own gain were swiftly slashed and cast into the river. If they survived, they were wiser, and if they didn't? Well, the Kindred would find them somewhere along the riverbend.

"Excuse me," Lux approached warily, clutching the letter close to her, "I need to get on this boat."  
One of the guards, his face tan and scarred, looked her over for a moment. His eyes narrowed in a deliberate sneer. "Why should I allow that?" He asked, his voice gruff. Lux held out the paper, which he took from her hand and began to read. Lux worried he wouldn't buy that it was genuine.  
His eyes widened, for a moment, looking to her - and then back down at the paper before him. "Crownguard." His voice held venom, but, he gave her note back and stepped aside. "I've got my eye on you. I don't know how you've gotten the General's attention, but, do trust that if you try _anything_ \- I will see personally that you're thrown overboard."  
Lux nodded eagerly in understanding, darting past him and a row of sailors holding a crate that lurched toward her as she passed. "Thank you!" She crooned, knowing well he likely wouldn't have let her aboard any other way. But, going against the Grand General's wishes was good as treason, and he likely knew that as well as any other Noxian. Plus, sneaking aboard would have been a lot more trouble - and she was already knee-deep in it.

Now was the matter of being patient. They set off for the capital later in the day, and Lux was relieved to be able to scan the plains without having to walk. As the Immortal Bastion began coming into view, over the next day or so, Lux noticed that the ground was reduced to barely a thing but desert. Sure, there appeared to be some farm settlements - but they were great distances apart. It made sense, to some extent, for Noxus to expand beyond these cruel lands. If their own nation couldn't support them, why not simply find somewhere that could? Of course, Lux was in no way supportive of the stomping down of other nations. But she felt like she was _beginning_ to understand, watching the sailors struggle with sacks of grain.

Lux's Demacian heritage was already shunted aside enough as it was, but this was only further pushing it aside. Noxus was home of the cold and cruel, so she had been told in every instance Noxus was mentioned. People would spit and hiss its name when spoken aloud, treating the nation as if it were a curse. A plague to be eradicated. But, Lux always questioned everything, and now she felt she had all the more reason to - these sailors, soldiers, and those she saw in the settlement; if you simply removed their dark steel, you couldn't tell them apart from a Demacian. They were both simply people working to survive in the conditions they were given.   
_Maybe,_ Lux thought, _if they actually cared enough to meet these people beyond the battlefield - they may begin to feel differently._

Like _that_ would ever happen. Lux knew that it would take decades to undo what has already been wrought among both sides, if it was even _possible_ to do. It elicited a sigh. But, if the rest of Demacia was going to be so stubborn - well, she was never much one to go with the crowd, anyway. There had never been a better opportunity to explore Noxus for herself, and gain a better understanding of it and its people. 

As the three towers that made up the Bastion finally came fully into view, Lux couldn't help but to beam in excitement.

\--

The docks were bustling with activity. Stern-faced traders negotiated with figures just out of view, eyes glistening as they passed tightly bound goods underhand. Lux breathed in deeply, a strange tension coming from the city air. The walls along the waterway were formed of a deep black stone, covered with nicks and chips from likely many duels that took place. Ravens fluttered about the air, watching over the activity below with a strange omniscience. Now, the eyes were no longer just on her - they saw all.

The streets were tight and winded in almost impossible fashions, with people sometimes packed shoulder to shoulder. When you were able to break away, you were almost guaranteed to find yourself on the sidelines of a fight. Made into a spectacle, two soldiers or some other form of bravehearts would be holding a battle of wills. However, this was only the 'slums' portion of the city, Lux was made aware. As the city expanded further outward - bevvies of buildings and structures in mid-construction evidencing its constant growth - many of the poorer types were often upended from their dwellings in order to make way for new walls or streets.

The air was lively, Lux thought, everything aside. She had walked through the Demacian slums before, trying to help in whatever she could. It was a small effort, but, the way people's faces lit up was what made everything worth it. Lux discovered much the same took place in Noxus, when offering them blankets she could weave from light, or lighting sconces and lanterns for those sitting out in the cold. It was all that she could offer, at the moment. Even though some had too much pride to accept her help, Lux almost ran herself ragged navigating the slums and offering what little that she could. The people were bedeviled with her mastery of magic, and soon she had amassed a line of people asking for her aid.

They weren't angry with her, or raising their spears - they were impressed. Such a stark change was startling to Lux, at first. But, she quickly warmed to the idea that she was able to express herself here. She wouldn't need to hide her true nature in yet another nation. It was a weight off her shoulders that she wished she never had to carry.  
Out of the corner of her eye, though, she watched a hooded figure pull one of her blankets away from someone. They observed it, for a moment, before looking to her and walking away. With no reasonable way to identify the thief, Lux simply crafted another one and tried to not give it much thought beyond that.

The day went by quickly, though, and Lux was directed to one of the many almhouses that dotted the area for her to remain in for the evening. The inside made Lux's skin crawl, but, she wasn't going to force herself to wander the catacombs of the city after having exhausted herself during the day. She remained wary of the city streets at night, and, she was trying her best to avoid going out. Staring out the window, all she could see were guards with torches along the dark avenues below. And, above and along the rooftops, was much of the same - it was guarded to the teeth. 

\--

Once the moon was high, Lux was awoken from her slumber by the tell-tale noise of armored bodies falling to the ground. She inched open the shutters, scanning across the series of still-burning torches that now lay across the ground. Flicking her gaze upward, bodies slumped over the crenelles. Someone, or multiple people, were systematically picking off the guards on the street. _Why?_

Knowing that conflict was ripe, Lux wasn't going to be able to stand idly by and allow for it. She grabbed her leather hood, tucking her hair back and venturing outside. With a wave of her arm, her staff appeared, causing the area to brighten. She knelt besides one of the fallen guards, finding nothing obvious that would have caused their condition. On further examination, though, there were arrows driven into them. Lux dare not attempt to remove it, even if it was non-lethal - the damage from the arrow's entry would double upon exit. It would require an actual doctor, which she was far from. Regardless, they were incapacitated, likely from some fast-acting poison or sleeping draught.

As she rose from the ground, one of those arrows whizzed by her head, bouncing off the wall next to her. She only registered that it had nearly struck her when she saw it on the ground, before looking around and breaking off into a sprint. Lux stole off into the night like a thief making off with their haul, the occasional sound of arrows fired and striking the ground causing her to whip around and change direction. This was one of the few direct confrontations that she could recall off the top of her head, and all she could wonder was why? Did someone figure out who she was, and have some sort of grudge to bear against her?

Truth be told, though, all that was slowly moving further from her mind. Noxus was a confusing enough place to navigate, and she felt like she was running around in circles. Maybe she was. After finding somewhere she could hide, and lurking in the shadows for a moment, she heard something descent to the ground.  
"Lost her." A voice rung out. Footsteps slowly caught up to the other voice.  
"How can we lose her? She's brighter than the damned sun. Find her - if we don't, who knows what'll become of us." The first voice grunted with understanding, and it took all of Lux's willpower to steel herself. She was barely even breathing, as she heard the pair of footsteps pass her hiding place. Once she believed them to have passed, she broke out into the street again.

_"Shit!_ That way!"  
The two assailants turned on their heels and gave chase, in the ever-winding game of cat and mouse. If she didn't relent, or something else gave way, they were likely going to chase her until dawn. Lux knew she wouldn't be able to last that long, though, and had to think of an alternative. It wasn't one that she was ever particularly fond of, but, it would have to do. She whipped around on her heel, calling her wand up. Lux pressed her palm forward, calling up her staff. With her palm at the center, it spun and disappeared, creating a golden rune that hovered in the air. The two assailants quickly skidded to a halt, one of them aiming an arrow.

This would likely pale in comparison at whatever fate supposedly awaited them, should they have failed in capturing her.

_"Incandesce!"_ Lux commanded, as a small red beam focused itself on the one still holding his bow. The other realized the situation at hand, and quickly dove away, as the light built in the rune's center.  
For a moment, the entire alley was lit, as the beam erupted forth from Lux's rune. The assassin wasn't blown back by its force, but he was set instantly ablaze. The light's sheer intensity scorched the entire front of his body, and he remained standing as the final sparks gave way back to darkness. All was still, for a moment, as both Lux and the other one meant to kill her looked on. His arms were still vaguely posed as though the bow remained in them. His body stood but a moment more, before he fell to the ground, now only a charred husk. 

Lux stared on in horror, for a moment, before her eyes slowly moved toward the other form. They held each other's gaze for a moment, Lux's mind taking a moment to register that she should still be running.  
"I'll kill you, you witch!" The other's voice snapped her back to reality, and she managed to turn herself around and head forward into the streets again.  
Now, he had all the more reason to kill her. She had to start thinking, and fast. Overhead, there were buildings in mid-construction. Some placed in such a precarious fashion that likely, if some of the support gave way, it would no doubt crush anything below. Lux quickly leapt up and grabbed onto one of the support beams, climbing up it like a monkey. She stayed out of sight once up in its rafters, holding on for dear life.

The dark-clothed assassin crept into view, peering around. Lux's eyes darted quickly to the newer pieces of stone that were still suspended. She tentatively released the support she clung to, almost falling and allowing a shriek to reveal her position. He turned his head, seeing her hang from above, but was quickly stunned by a blast from Lux's free hand. His gaze shifted downward, his feet anchored to the ground by her energy.  
 _"I'm sorry-"_ Lux breathed, before swinging herself on the support in order to fling a small blast of energy into the bridge. The wood quickly caught fire upon impact, but the seconds that it took to finally burn through lasted forever. The stone fell and crushed the man on impact, a sick crunching noise making Lux clap her hand over her mouth. If there was anything she could compare it to, it was the noise that one would expect from crushing an insect. Her hand trembled upon the wood, as the fire crept along toward her. As a flame lashed out at her hand, she quickly began her descent.

A few more of the stone bricks fell around her, causing her to almost lose her grip more than once. Once she reached the ground, she cast a singularity up towards the underside of the bridge to absorb the flame. Once it was all was swept away, it exploded, and rained down upon the street like a burned-out firework. Lux finally took a moment to sigh, and look around, noticing that all the windows in the surrounding buildings were lit. And, that a pool of blood was slowly approaching her boots.   
Although she was unsure of which direction she was going, she fled the scene, trying to find her way to the almhouse where she began. She didn't recall going to sleep, once she returned. But, she awoke laying atop the sheets, curled up and clutching her knees close to her chest. The morning sun was peeking through the windows, revealing a letter stuck between the shutters. She quickly rose from bed and snatched it, opening it with little hesitation.

_Luxanna,_

_I apologize for any of the inconveniences you may have suffered at the hands of the... Unlucky assassins you dealt with, over the last evening. Rest assured, you will not be taken into custody for this altercation, nor will you be faced with any criminal charges for the collateral damage that you inflicted. You were simply defending yourself, and you made a masterful display of it. The locals have referred to it as quite the spectacle, in fact._   
_However, in order to prevent such further incidents from happening, I will take it upon myself as your host to house you while you remain in the city's walls. I trust that you will find it to your liking much better than where you reside now._

This letter was written differently than the last. It was written in a more personal tone, addressing her directly. Even going so far as to use her full first name. The wording was deliberate, and the letters flowed from one to the other rather fluidly. However, Lux had little time to regard the good penmanship on behalf of the author - especially when she saw just who penned the note in her hands. The note's edges began to crumple in her tightening grip, wide eyes scanning the name and seal stamped at the bottom.

_Regards,_   
_Jericho Swain, The Grand General._


	4. III

Lux was somewhat thankful that morning had already arrived, because she doubted any further sleep would come. She scanned the paper over a few times, attempting to discern something, anything that could falsify it. She even compared it to the more official note - no difference. Even the stamp of the Trifarian Crest was the same, down to even the color of the ink it was done in. Her excuses were steadily being knocked down. What benefit would it give, impersonating the Grand General in his own city? No doubt it would find its way to him eventually, and cause more harm than whatever good it may do. She was stuck - and she was going to have to figure out what exactly he wanted.  
Lux allowed herself to fall back onto the cot, with a bit of a thud. At least she wasn't in trouble for fighting off the assassins. It was a momentary weight off her shoulders, though she had the feeling it wouldn't last. There was still the matter of Swain's invitation, and what she was going to do with it. Of course she was curious about what exactly he wanted, and why his tone was so... delighted? Was it possible for such a man to be pleased with her, a Demacian, in any sense? It sounded somewhat otherworldly. Some bizarre Runeterra where maybe her dreams of unity have come true.

She gazed upward at the ceiling, attempting to tune out the chatter of people around her. She wanted dearly to be alone with her thoughts, for just a moment. To gather herself, and maybe decide on a plan of action. However, that seemed to be the furthest thing from the cards laid out for her.  
A series of heavy knocks came from the floor below, and the voices ceased for a sparse moment. Peace! Lux thought, finally closing her eyes. That was, until she was nudged, and greeted to three faces looking down upon her. She blinked, for a moment, before swallowing a lump in her throat. Of course it was for her. Of the three, two of them were heavily armored. Their faces were framed by the iconic dark steel, yet they appeared to look rather clean-cut beneath. Legionnaires, by any other name. The third was simply one of the almshouse managers. One of the two Legionnaires spoke.  
"Lady Crownguard - The General has requested that we escort you through the inner city." His voice was very formal, much unlike the curt mannerisms that she had experienced at the hand of the guards among the riverside settlement. Of course, the Trifarian Legion were a special branch of the army - they had to know respect as well as how to draw a blade. Lux's words eluded her, for a moment, as she sat up.  
"Did he?" The other, who had remained silent, nodded. Lux breathed a sigh from her nose, getting up and going out with the Legionnares in tow. What was the point of all the trouble? She could find her way to wherever he was just fine, on her own. Sure, it may take a day or so, but... No, he's probably right, it's best to send an escort.

Outside were two large, armored horses. They were imposing - they made Starfire look like a foal, in comparison. The Legionnaires mounted the horses, one extending their hand to Lux and helping her onto the saddle of the animal. With a snap of the reigns, they were off, briskly navigating through the parting crowds of Noxians. Lux spotted people with the blankets she had shaped for them, though they didn't recognize her in passing. Soon, the city became unrecognizable. Where the outer edges of Noxus Prime had no uniform architecture of their buildings, the inner circle of the city melted into gothic stone buildings. Some of the houses - owned by nobles, she assumed - were armed with iron bars and ornamental fences armed with spears. Sure - any skilled assassin could scale one, but a foolish one would likely make a ruckus, or spear himself trying to climb over. That part she could understand, as most Demacian estates were walled or fenced in.  
The depths of the city were known primarily as 'the Immortal Bastion', where most nobles made their homes - alongside those able to escape the abject poverty of the slums. It was partially walled off from the rest of the city, the entrances protected by Legionnaires who investigated every single person as they passed. For few moments, Luxanna had her satchel confiscated and was made to turn out her pockets. When they found nothing of value, they allowed her to pass into the inner sanctum, as she thought of it.

Lux quickly grew weary of the dark buildings that melted into each other as they passed, leaning against the legionnaire who sat in front of her. She knew that Noxus curled into itself in impossible ways, but this was ridiculous. She hoped dearly that they weren't lost, but found herself jerked forward by an abrupt stop of the horses.  
"We have arrived. Make haste - keeping the General waiting will reflect badly on you." Lux didn't have to be told twice, dismounting the horse and making a brisk escape from her escorts. A short distance away was another crowd of dark-armored guards, different than the ones before. These, Lux would discover, were the General's personal guards. The sun barely shone in their armor, and their faces were not visible. They were all armed to the teeth, and looked to be holding multiple weapons - though that did not speak for any they may have concealed.

Among them was a tall, white-haired figure, standing rigidly upright. As he flitted among his guards, his eyes were low, scanning across them. Lux focused on his face as his profile became clearer to view. What drew her attention first was his eyes - his irises glinted in an unearthly fashion, like fresh blood on stone. His svelte form masqueraded under a long coat that hung over his shoulders, and the feather-like, metal adornments clanged together as he moved. He caught sight of her as she studied him, and they shared gaze as they communicated a mutual recognition.

"Luxanna." His voice enveloped her senses like a cloud of smoke.  
Lux felt her chest flutter, as though a few beats had skipped. A flurry of memories that she couldn't register moved to hit her all at once, a face now put to the figure that plagued her nights for so long.  
"Swain?" His thin lips curled in satisfaction, as she spoke his name aloud. Lux moved forward, but was halted by a wall of crossed spears between herself and the Grand General. Swain waved his hand dismissively, and the guards drew back their weapons and stood back at attention. He huffed, never removing his eyes from the mage.  
"That is no way to treat a _guest_ of mine." A guest? Lux couldn't keep a brow from raising, at that - from what she had overheard, Swain was more likely to entertain prisoners of war than any actual guests. But, she was sure she hadn't misheard, or something like that. Now allowed to step forward, Lux readily paced forward to meet the man.  
"Had I envisioned your arrival at any better time, I would have prepared better accommodations for you. Though, I trust you made light of it." Swain spoke as though he was already familiar with her. But, Lux could not remember having met him, ever.  
"It's fine! It gave me a chance to get my feet wet with Noxus, you know?" There was still a strange air of familiarity between them, however. Was it because he'd been invading her mind lately, being a factor of her dreams? Swain stood over her expectantly, while she was left in an awkward silence until she spoke again. "... May I ask why you summoned me here exactly, sir?"  
  
The general chuckled. It was a low and quiet laugh, amused with her naivety. He didn't give her an answer, simply turning on his heel and beginning to walk towards the large iron gate which surrounded the building. With a slight glance back, he wordlessly gestured for her to follow with a flick of a finger. Lux briefly surveyed the guards, who remained at attention, before following along with him as the gates were opened from the inside.

\--

Swain's estate was massive, and ancient. His family line extended far back into Noxian history; a long line of patrician nobles who held considerable power. Along the dark hallways were portraits of what Lux could only assume to be his grave-faced, yet equally handsome ancestors. Some of them were depicted in paintings riddled with dust, while some more recent ones were actually sepia-tinted photographs. A fair amount of them had faces torn out, or were blotted with ink in disrespect. She hesitated at one that held a stern-faced young man, with black hair. Both of the adult figures were blotted out, rather crudely. Swain ceased his escort, turning to look at Lux, who had stopped walking to gawk.  
"You may admire the portraiture _later._ " He was in no mood to make stops every few moments to accommodate her curiosity. He understood that he had a fair amount of explaining to do, and he wasn't keen on getting to that at this _exact_ moment. Lux bristled at his tone, and hurriedly moved back to his side.  
"Sorry! I'm just curious." Swain offered a half-hearted, yet understanding nod.  
  
He lead her to what appeared to be his office, of sorts, the walls lined with bookshelves that rose high to the ceiling. There were a few rather cushy chairs, as well as a marble desk that sat as the room's centerpiece.  
"Make yourself comfortable." Swain gestured across the room, and Lux seated herself. Her eyes darted around the room, while she wrung her hands together in her lap. She felt as though she stood out, a bright speck among this room's dark corners. The General sat at the desk, leaning back in his chair comfortably. It was a moment before he spoke, as he mulled over his words. "I'm to assume you don't know why you're here."  
Lux hesitated, but, she confirmed his initial suspicions. "Not really." For once, she hated being honest. But, really, she was entirely unsure. She had her own suspicions of what his reasoning was, but, she was going to put that aside as Demacian fear-mongering. There was no evidence to confirm that he had called her here to harm her - not yet, anyway. Raising her eyes to look at him, she began her own line of questioning. "It was you, wasn't it? In the dreams? You must know about those. Otherwise - why would you bring me here?" Swain's brows raised, and he sat straighter in his chair. Perhaps Lux really was as astute as rumor claimed her to be. Swain had other cards to play than the dreams, though. Opening a door in his desk, he held something out to her in a curled fist: a blue ribbon. Her ribbon, in particular, once stolen by a raven not-so long ago.  
"To return this, perhaps?"  
  
Lux almost leapt out of the chair to snatch it from his hand. "But, a raven-"  
Swain put up his hand to silence her plea. " _My_ raven." His voice didn't change tone, as though that fact should be obvious.  
The mage only stood and stammered, before seating herself and affixing the ribbon back in her hair where it belonged. Now, how exactly was she going to approach that the Grand General had had one of his pet birds steal a ribbon from her?  
The General allowed her her moment to breathe before beginning his explanation. "Regardless - yes, I do know. Our dreams are what have brought us here - we fought alongside each other on the Summoner's Rift." Saying the place's name was a point of contention. Swain hardly tolerated being a plaything of the Aspects, especially in wars that he gained nothing from. War was an art form, and one that Noxus had almost perfected. He suffered the use of his few restful nights wasting his intellect on wars of attrition.  
"It came as quite a surprise to me that you approached Noxus so brazenly. I thought it impolite to... leave you to the dogs, as it were." Noxians were generally accepting to those who wished to join their cause, but, otherwise... They could be heavily skeptical, at the very least. Especially with Luxanna, in particular - a notable Demacian spy who had garnered something of a reputation for ruining their plans to expand their borders closer to her beloved home nation.  
"I didn't mean to come to Noxus." Lux contended with his assumption, finally. "I was following the river that led from Jandelle, to here." She opened her satchel, and held her journal out to him. It was a small book, bound in parchment to keep it from weathering too dearly from the elements. Swain gently took it from her hand, laying it open across the desk in order to flip through its contents. "The last few pages is where your raven found me, along the riverside. I hadn't written anything else from there, because I was... occupied, by all of the letters you began sending me." And the demands contained within, but she wasn't going to say that to his face.   
Once he had finished scanning through her scribblings, he slid the journal across to her. "Do not act as though I do not trust you, Luxanna. You have proven your character to me long ago." Lux could only furrow her brows at his words. Where Swain appeared to have this perfect recollection of their relationship, she knew next to nothing beyond being able to recognize his face. She faced downward, focusing on her worn boots. If only her memories would return just a little faster, so she could begin to understand just what he was talking about.

Swain studied her, letting out a quiet sigh. "What do you remember."  
Lux combed her fingers through her hair, attempting to pry deeply into her subconscious. Every time Swain came to mind, there was this great, swirling burst of red that always accompanied him. She noticed, that looking upon him now - it appeared to be absent. Everything about him was exactly as she remembered, otherwise. His white hair, the brace around his leg. He was very consistent, and she knew vaguely that he prided himself on keeping up appearances. But why? She looked him over, trying to find something off, that she may remember. Lux found herself focusing on his single gloved hand, as his fingers rapped against the desk in anticipation. Words began filtering in like _talons, claws, feathers..._ Of _course!_

"Your arm!" That was it! Perhaps she was intelligent, yes, but endearingly oblivious. Swain finally began to perk up again, a bemused expression coming over him as she indicated at the empty portion of his coat. Where his arm would be, should it still have been attached to his body. "You made a pact with that demon, and it restored your arm. You lost it during the Ionian conflict because a sword-maiden cut it off." She was surprised at herself that she remembered such details so vividly. They had sat by the riverbend in the jungle, and Swain spoke about his history. When exactly it happened, she couldn't quite recall, but it had been shared. Lux could remember why it had impacted her memory so dearly - the sight of such an appendage was difficult to fully forget, once you knew its storied history.  
Swain opened his coat, revealing the almost-empty sleeve of the tunic under his chestplate. Part of his arm still remained, but enough that he was still crippled in the eyes of the Noxian public. "Very well, then." His eyes flashed, and an energy emerged from his shoulder. It wrapped around his sleeve tightly, beginning to fan outward in layers of translucent feathers from his elbow downward. At the wrist, his demonic hand emerged, and Swain flexed his taloned fingertips. "You are beginning to recall now, I see. Perhaps I should not have been so quick to doubt you."  
Lux grimaced at the way the eldritch energy crackled around his open palm. "The information that you have is not a thing I share lightly, you know." The mage nodded. Things had been different, then - they had been allies for multiple battles. Their alliance had spanned a much larger time than it had in the world of Runeterra. There was an intimacy that they lacked here and now. Swain folded both of his arms across the desk, now returning to gazing at the Crownguard in front of him. 

Perhaps there was a boon to her presence that he could not see, in her bright features. For now, there was only some fuzzy sentimentality to having an alliance at all.

\--

Swain completed Lux's tour of his estate later on that afternoon, encouraging her to make herself at home. He presumed that her visit would be brief, especially after her shuddering reaction to watching the Drakehounds feed. However, even after that sordid encounter, she seemed excited still to remain at his side. It was a position of power, as Swain normally did not make friends with people. He would not even phrase their relationship as friendly, really. Those were Luxanna's words, not his own - they were allies, nothing more. Even on the Summoner's Rift, he still grimaced when Lux had referred to them as being friends. All of Swain's relationships were rather business-like, in that he allowed as little emotion and personal attachment to influence any decision he made as possible. Attachment was what almost served to be his ruin, and his polices that emotion were weak reflected that. As such, he attempted to answer all of Lux's questions in as aloof a manner as he could - so that she would maintain no ideas of his inner workings. Lux continued to bore into him, however, and found that she discovered one of his talking points: a game, which Swain found that he enjoyed.

_Xa'h._

It was while she had found her way back into his office, that she had found a small table made of an ornately-carved wood. Ionian in design, she believed. It was checkered, and held two drawers on each side - though only one held pieces that one would use for the game. Lux's eyes brightened as she took them out, one by one, to observe - before setting them out on the board. Swain stood behind her, looking over her shoulder as she surveyed his reminders. Personal trophies, of a sort, that he used to play with.   
"You have so many pieces." Lux noted, as she placed a large tooth onto the table. She was only vaguely familiar with the game, so it appeared. She had studied in Ionia, Swain believed he heard her mention once before. She should be at least aware of how Xa'h worked among the Vastaya, who were the game's primary players. "Did you win them all?"  
Swain picked up another piece, and looked it over. It was a small blade, cut from a fallen soldier's armor. A token that Swain had taken to remind him of the battle. "No. Some of them are my own. Though I have lost many of my original pieces, I have won enough to compensate." Xa'h was a strategy game, and when you lost a piece, the other person won it for their own. It was as simple as that. A game of chess, where you did not restart the next game with your original amount of pieces. The tokens, as it were, were meant to hold value to the players, in some way. Swain's were constructed of other armor fragments, some with trophies of beasts he or others had slain. Some were even formed of hunks of gold and gemstone that he had acquired, and found no value in. Perhaps they were owned by someone he felt deserved to be remembered.

After Lux had her fill of them, she promptly moved to the other side of the table, opposite of him.  
"Play with me."  
Her request was simple. "You have no pieces." Swain replied, curtly.  
"I can make some!" She began to bind beams of light together, between her palms. "It'll be easy. Do they need to look like, or be anything in particular?"  
His red eyes rolled at her, not knowing how to play but yet still so eager to do so. "Preferably, they hold importance to you. Something that you are willing to compete to protect." After a moment of channeling, Lux began manifesting small, marble-like figurines. She set them down one by one, as she conceived and created them. A few of them were simple, like a horse, and her own staff set atop a pedestal. But, there was some like one of Galio, the colossus who she had formed a friendship with sometime ago. There were also two representing her family: a knight astride a horse - her father - and a seemingly bulky-armored knight, easily recognizable as Garen. Swain noted that there were no mother-like figurines among her assortment, but said nothing. He would not judge what she believed to be of import to her.  
Once Lux had completed her miniature war-band, she looked up to him expectantly. With her and her small army of twinkling pieces, it was difficult to say no. Soon enough, he relented, taking up the seat across from her and setting out his own tokens.  
  
"I'll give you your pieces back when we're done, alright?" She allowed him to make the first move, as the host.  
"That is not the point of the game, Luxanna. You must be prepared to lose your pieces - there is little room for mercy for the loser." Swain didn't intend to lose, even though Lux was quite new to the game. He refused to be soft on her because she was inexperienced, and as the game went on, it showed. Slowly, Lux's pieces began to pile up on his side, and she grew steadily more frustrated. Swain mostly contained his impish delight at absolutely crushing her, but, he couldn't help but allow a small smile to come to the fore. He was somewhat satisfied at faltering her bright and shimmering demeanor, even if it was only to be for a few moments until it recovered at full force. 

"Satisfied?" Lux lamentably moved one of her pieces, which he removed from the board. Swain rest his chin on his hand, as he set the piece aside. "Very." The mage let out a groan at his ghoulish contentment, throwing her hands up.  
"Okay, okay - I think you have me beat, here." She gestured to the few remaining pieces, on her side. "May I surrender? May we begin negotiations for my swift retreat?" As a final move against her, Swain swept both her and his pieces back into the drawer on his side. "If we really must." He would have to actually observe the pieces that she created, now that he rightfully owned all of them through the rules of the game. If they truly held significance to her, they would be paramount in understanding her better. Of course, he knew much of Lux already, from their prior interactions - but seeing things from her perspective would be interesting to him. Learning secrets the old-fashioned way was often tedious, but it had its rewards.  
  
Lux finally rose from her seat, and wandered from the office into one of the long hallways that connected the rooms like veins. Once she found a room to her satisfaction, she threw herself across a neglected loveseat, allowing herself to relax for a moment. Perhaps it was intended to be a sitting area, at some point - but it appears to have gone all but unused in Swain's time as the Grand General. It was probably rare that he was here at all, let alone had guests to sit among him and his possessions. She hadn't considered how unlikely it was that he entertained people at all. The Crownguard estate was often buzzing with people from all reaches of Demacia, even Valoran itself, attempting to negotiate with her family or make good impressions. However, the Swain estate was... considerably dreary, in comparison.  
Not that the building itself wasn't gorgeous. Lux could lose herself in all of its details and history - the library in Swain's office alone would serve to entertain her for a month, likely solid. The building was very dark, however, and was lit mostly with torches and candles along the walls when the sun didn't reach through its windows. Perhaps when it was in full view, and entirely lit, there would be much more to see. If the Swain family was truly as ancient as its portraits portrayed, Lux could lose herself in studying them and likely Noxus alongside them. Perhaps she should spend some time in his office again - she could begin to grow a new appreciation for Noxus as a whole.

While Lux found herself growing warm with content as she studied the room around her, Swain caught up with her. He was tailed by a servant, who carried a tray of tea and fixings. The servant curtsied to the two of them, as Swain sat himself in a large armchair. "Will there be anything else, General, sir?" Although the servant spoke to him formally, there was an air of familiarity between them. They had likely been in his service for a long time, to reach such a position with Swain. The servant sat the tray down and stood, waiting for any further direction.  
He waved an arm dismissively towards them, as he reached forward to procure an empty cup. "Leave us." They nodded silently, and closed a tall set of doors upon their exit. Every room appeared to have doors, of some sort, as though privacy was of considerable import among these walls. There were no open archways seemingly throughout the entire residence, and just as well, it was also heavily patrolled by Swain's personal guard. Had you been so much as a fly on the wall, you would have been struck down with ferocity. No words were intended to leave the room they were spoken in.

Lux finally sat herself up and secured a cup, pouring a dribble of milk into it and stirring it. "I wouldn't think you were the type for tea." She blew across its surface, before taking a drink.  
Swain raised a brow, adding sugar to his own cup. "Did you assume I was nothing but a brute?" His tone was thankfully light, as he had not taken the notion personally. He knew the stereotypes that existed among Demacians about Noxians. They were taken with a grain of salt, most of the time, but he did rarely acknowledge them. "One cannot survive on sweat and bile alone, Luxanna. Sometimes, we must enjoy some... lighter things."   
"Hey, no, I-" Lux felt her cheeks grow hot in shame. "I mean, it's nice that you do! You should know better than anyone that Demacians reinforce their _'Noxus is a nation of barbarians'_ rhetoric more than almost anything else. In a place like that, you never even stop consider that _maybe_ , there are Noxians who enjoy tea." Lux had already learnt so much about Noxus in such a short time. There were qualities and notions already forming that she had never imagined would ever cross her mind. It was good that she was here, she now believed - she was broadening her horizons. Something that she had originally set out to do, when she initially left the city of her birth to go explore the world. It was how she ended up across the sea in Ionia in order to learn more about magic, and fell in love with the First Lands in the process. She wanted to face up to the conceptions that Demacia had of the world beyond, of magic, and she was satisfied in what she found: that almost everything that Demacia believed about the outside was, to some degree, wrong.   
Swain gaze flicked up from the tea, where he had been looking upon his cream-colored reflection in its surface. "I was not born a soldier, you must understand. My forefathers were noblemen, and I was intended to live a life much the same as theirs. I was born a patrician, and it was through my own will that I became what I am today." The methods that Swain used for his descent from grace were far from anything Lux would ever consider, though. Even though Lux thought wearily of becoming a trophy of her estate, she would likely never resort to bringing harm upon her own family, even if worse came to worse. For all their faults, they were still her family. She had to respect that.

As Lux swirled her teaspoon around in her cup, she thought over what Swain had said. His story was much the same as her own, although Swain had succeeded in his goals over time. Swain discarded his life of privilege and luxury with seemingly little hesitation, in exchange for a life serving the empire. That was just as he wanted, though, so becoming the Grand General was him finally achieving his dreams. And now, gaze upon the representative of the Principle of Vision. Though some may call him a traitor, in the face of what Swain was forced to endure - he has absolutely come out against all odds and expectations. Lux knew, deep down, that she craved nothing more than that success. If the opportunity would ever pass her by, and if she would even take it, she wasn't sure. Perhaps she hadn't faced the same challenges as the Grand General that now sat before her, to prepare her for if such a thing happened. Perhaps by availing herself to Noxus, Lux had now opened up the avenues necessary to set her on the right path. Time would have to tell.  
Swain finally finished his cup, setting it down before shifting his focus to Lux. Although his face was grave as usual, there was a bit of an icy smile tugging at the edges of his lips. He had something in mind. "If Demacia has so endeavored to ingrain you with the concept that all Noxians are mongrels, who solve everything by brutalization, I will offer you a proposition. How would you like a position alongside Noxus' petitioners, for one afternoon. You will personally lay witness to negotiation among our empire's leaders, and the ruling council. Were we truly a mindless nation, you would see nothing of this sort." Lux's tea almost went up through her nose, but her eyes sparkled like the ocean in the sun. "If you are unimpressed by our politics at work, I will be surprised."  
The Grand General was, of course, willing to display his pride of Noxus. Although the empire still stood to improve in several areas, Swain believed that the several direct improvements that he had made would best display Noxus' ultimate character. Although Darkwill had sought to run the empire into the ground if it meant to prolong his feeble life, Swain knew better that one individual did not exist above the needs of Noxus as a whole. That was why he had established the Trifarix in the first place - so that one foolish individual would not be allowed to throw Noxus aside for their own selfish gain.

"Really?" Lux set her cup aside, in order to ball her fists in excitement. Opportunities were arising indeed, and much faster than she could have possibly anticipated. She almost wasn't sure if she would be able to keep up with them. "You would let me come watch? Even though I'm Demacian?"   
Swain nodded, unwavering in his position. He was a man of his word, if nothing else. "You are my guest, and should you truly desire to learn of our nation - it would be wrong of me to prohibit you. Noxus thrives only due to the nature of its people, who - regardless of their creed - unite to stand for it. If I am able to educate even one Demacian alone of that belief, I shall consider it a victory."


End file.
